McLaren-Mercedes may have secured the final place on the F1 grid in 2008, for their much talked about and long rumoured 'B' team, according to the latest gossip.

Although it was thought that Prodrive had secured the final slot to enter the sport when the new Concorde Agreement comes into operation in two years time, it now appears that might not be the case.

Indeed Crash.net has learned that the project being headed up by former F1 racer, Jean Alesi and backed by Japanese luxury good company Direxiv, may be in the frame to get the nod this Friday, when the FIA, the sport's governing body, is due to confirm which team will join the current established eleven in the sport.

A number of the other entries have already been turned down, including Paul Stoddart's bid to re-enter the sport with Minardi, despite having sold out to Red Bull only at the end of last season.

In a separate development, meanwhile, some sources also suggest that Carlin Motorsport are still in with a shout.